MYTHS OF CREATION 73
ing a branch, to me they gave a staff of laurel, a wondrous thing, and into me they
breathed a divine voice, so that I might celebrate both the things that are to be
and the things that were before; and they ordered me to honor, in my song, the
race of the blessed gods who exist forever, but always to sing of them themselves,
the Muses, both first and last. But enough of this digression about my personal
encounter with the Muses amidst the oaks and stones of the mountain.^21
HESIOD BEGINS HIS HYMN TO THE MUSES ONCE AGAIN (36-73)
You then, come, let us begin with the Muses, who by their song delight the great
mind of Zeus on Olympus, as they reveal with harmonious voices, the things
that are and the things that are to be and the things that were before. The sweet
sound flows from their tireless lips and the household of loud-thundering Zeus,
their father, laughs in joy at their song, resounding pure as a lily. The peaks of
snowy Olympus and the homes of the gods resound. Pouring forth their divine
music, first of all they celebrate in song the revered race of the gods from the
very beginning, those whom Gaia and Uranus bore and the deities, givers of
good things, who were their offspring. Next they begin by extolling Zeus, fa-
ther of both gods and men and they end their song with him, praising the ex-
tent to which he is pre-eminent among the gods and the greatest in might. And
then in turn, singing about the race of human beings and that of the powerful
giants, they delight the mind of Zeus on Olympus-these Olympian Muses,
daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus, who bring forgetfulness of ills and cessation
of sorrows. Mnemosyne ("Memory"), the mistress of Eleutherae on Mount He-
licon bore them in Pieria, after mingling with the son of Cronus. For nine nights
clever Zeus lay with her, mounting her holy bed, apart from the other immor-
tals. When it was due time, after the seasons had come round and the months
had passed and the many days were completed, near the highest peak of snowy
Olympus, she gave birth to nine daughters, all of like disposition, with hearts
committed to song and minds free from care. There on Olympus they perform
their lovely dances and have their beautiful home. By their side also the Charités
("Graces") and Himeros ("Desire") dwell amidst delightful abundance. From
their lips they sing a lovely song, celebrating with praise the privileges and so-
licitous behavior of all the immortals. After their birth, they went to the top of
Olympus with their divine song, delighting in their beautiful voices. And the
black earth echoed and reechoed to their singing. A lovely sound rose up from
their delicate footsteps, as they returned to their father. He rules as king in
heaven, he himself holding the bolt of thunder and glowing lightning, after hav-
ing conquered with his might his father Cronus. To each of the immortals he
distributed privileges fairly and assigned honors equitably.
ALL NINE MUSES (ESPECIALLY CALLIOPE) INSPIRE KINGS (74-103)
These things then the Muses sang, having their home on Olympus, the nine
daughters begotten by great Zeus: Clio and Euterpe and Thalia and Melpomene
and Terpsichore and Erato and Polyhymnia and Urania and Calliope. She is the
most important of them all because she attends upon revered kings. They pour
honeyed dew on the tongue of anyone of the kings cherished by Zeus, whom
they, the daughters of great Zeus, honor and look upon favorably at his birth;
and from his mouth words flow as sweet as honey. All the people look up to